The Cardinals’ offseason checklist is already obvious, and the starting rotation sits near the top of it. With free agency open and a lockout looming in December, St. Louis may not have the luxury of waiting around.
One name that keeps popping up for the Cardinals is Trevor Rogers. The Athletic’s Tim Britton, Johnny Flores Jr. and Chad Jennings listed St. Louis among the best fits for the left-hander, alongside the Braves, White Sox, Rays and Nationals.
“The lefty Rogers revived his career over the last season-and-a-half with the Orioles, belatedly fulfilling the promise he’d shown as a rookie in Miami,” Britton, Flores Jr. and Jennings wrote. “He’s not quite as good as the 1.81 ERA he flashed in 2025, but he pitched better than the 4.03 ERA he posted last season; a signing team should expect a number starting with a three moving forward. ... Best fits:[Atlanta Braves], [Chicago White Sox], STL, [Tampa Bay Rays], [Washington Nationals].”
Rogers is coming off a 2026 season in which he posted a 4.03 ERA over 30 starts, with 157 strikeouts and 39 walks across 169 2/3 innings. The year before, he was even sharper, turning in a 1.81 ERA in 18 starts and 109 2/3 innings.
At 28, Rogers fits the profile of the kind of pitcher St. Louis has targeted before.
The Cardinals weren’t especially aggressive in free agency last offseason, but they did land Dustin May, another younger arm who was viewed as one of the more intriguing names available. They pushed hard for him and got it done.
That history, combined with the current need in the rotation, makes Rogers look like a natural Cardinals target. And with St. Louis’ payroll sitting so low, the club has the room to chase him even if The Athletic’s four-year, $84 million projection ends up being the price.
Rogers owns a 3.88 ERA in 132 major league appearances, and the Cardinals should be right in the mix if they decide to act quickly.
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